The English Football League (EFL) welcomes players from around the globe. Every year, teams playing in the EFL will sign foreign or local players to supplement the needs of their squads. Of some of the players to have played in the EFL, some African players have impressed and left a mark on the league. In this post, we look at some of the African players who played in the EFL.

1. Odion Ighalo

Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo during the Europa League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.

A boyhood Manchester United fan who now plays for the team. Ighalo once played in the EFL Championship as a Watford player. Ighalo, who plays as a striker, managed three goals in eight appearances as a loanee before Watford FC signed him permanently mid-season. In his first season, he helped Watford gain promotion to the Premier League. Ighalo left his mark as one of the few Africans to score a hat trick in the EFL Championship.

2. John Mikel Obi

A towering presence in the Chelsea team that he became all too famous playing for. John Mikel Obi made the move to the EFL in 2019. He would stay with the team for half a season making 18 appearances and managing one goal. John Mikel added a lot of creativity to the Middlesbrough team he was signed for. Additionally, his hunch for midfield defending allowed him to pose a threat to opposition forwards and add solidity to the team.

3. Jonathan Kodjia

The Ghanaian forward is one of the latest African players to play in the EFL. Kodjia, who was once voted the French Ligue Player of the Year, played for Bristol City and Aston Villa. He managed a total of 140 appearances in total for both teams scoring 48 times in the process between 2015 and 2019. Kodjia also helped Aston Villa gain promotion to the Premier League last season. He left Aston Villa in January 2020 to join Al-Gharafa.

A goalkeeper is the last line of defence for a team. Teams with prolific goalkeepers concede fewer goals and improve their chances of winning. In the 2019/20 season so far, the English Football League (EFL) has seen some excellent goalkeeping. In this post, we look at goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in the EFL this season.

1. Kiko Casilla – 15 Clean Sheets

Having failed to impress while at Real Madrid, the Spanish goalkeeper is now making headlines in English top-flight football at Leeds United. This season alone, Casilla, having played 35 matches so far, has 15 clean sheets to his name. His goalkeeping proficiency is the main contributing factor to his team, Leeds FC topping the standings in the league this season.

2. Brice Samba – 12 Clean Sheets

Before the 2019/2020 season, Samba was a relatively unknown name in the English top-flight football. However, he is now the subject of many footballing analysts and a nightmare to many strikers in the league. Samba has 12 clean sheets this season, allowing his team, Nottingham Forest, to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

3. Bartosz Bialkowski – 12 Clean Sheets

Bartosz continues to be a dependable goalkeeper for Millwall this season. Previously an average team in the EFL, Millwall are now chasing a playoff spot this season. While the team is impressive this season, they owe most of that to Bartosz’s brilliance at the back. He has 12 clean sheets so far this season as well.

4. Christian Walton – 12 Clean Sheets

Tying in position two with Samba and Bartosz, Blackburn’s Walton is also proving critics wrong this season. The goalkeeper has 12 clean sheets so far. His impressive displays are one of the main reasons Blackburn is chasing a playoff spot this season. The team sits tenth on the log, three points adrift of the playoff spot.

Being the Lower Division of English topflight football, many expect that the English Football League (EFL) will primarily feature local players. While this is true to some extent, some foreign players play in the league and who have left a mark on it. Some have even gone ahead to become top scorers. In this post, we look at foreign players that have been EFL Golden Boot winners.

1. Teemu Pukki

Now playing for Norwich in the Premier League, Teemu Pukki was the EFL Golden Boot winner for the 2018/2019 season. This win came after he scored 29 goals in a single season to help his team win promotion to the Premier League. The figure made Pukki appear second on the list of players with the most goals in a single EFL season.

2. Matej Vydra

The Czech striker is a household name among EFL fans. Matej used to play for Derby County and, in the 2017-2018 season, finished the EFL league as its Golden Boot winner. This win did not comes as a shock to many as the striker had been prolific the entire season.

Additionally, his team Derby County were playing beautiful football that was crowned with Matej’s Golden Boot win. Matej now plays for Burnley FC in the Premier League. Matej scored 21 goals in the 2017/2018 season.

3. Ross McCormack

Ross McCormack holds the record as the third player with the most goals in a single EFL season. While playing for Leeds United in the 2013-14 season, Ross scored an impressive 28 goals that season to win him the Golden Boot. This win made him one among the few non-English players to win the EFL Golden Boot. Many who recall his revelation season continue to hail the Scot for that time when he wowed the EFL with his goal-scoring prowess.